1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of washing machine accessories and more particularly to a fabric support device for use in a wash basket of an automatic washer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Automatic washers are widely used to clean clothes and laundry items Washers are typically designed to flex and move cloth items such that mechanical energy is applied to the cloth items which are to be cleaned. The way in which mechanical energy is applied to cloth items varies according to the type of automatic washer. One type of conventional vertical axis automatic washer employs an agitator which rotates back and forth within a wash basket to apply mechanical energy to the clothes items loaded therein. Another type of vertical axis automatic washer includes a vertical axis wash basket having a bottom impeller or pulsator, provided along the bottom of the wash basket, for moving cloth items and fluid within the wash basket. In horizontal axis automatic washers, cloth items are tumbled within a horizontally aligned wash basket and thereby undergo mechanical action.
For most fabric items, the mechanical action or force applied during a wash cycle is not detrimental or unduly damaging. However, for a small portion of laundry items which are particularly delicate, the application of the mechanical energy by either an agitator, bottom impeller or through tumbling can be damaging. As a result, delicate cloth items are frequently dry cleaned or hand washed rather than being washed in an automatic washer. Unfortunately, dry cleaning is relatively expensive and does not always provide a desirable fabric care result. Moreover, hand washing is time consuming and likewise does not always provide a desirable fabric care result.
There have been some efforts in the past to provide an accessory for an automatic washer which would allow the automatic washer to wash delicate fabric items. For example, it is known to provide a small, inner basket which may be mounted onto an agitator within a large wash basket. Delicate fabric items may be placed into the inner basket and are subject to a relatively gentle wash action during the operation of the washer.
It is also known to place delicate clothes within a mesh container which can then be rolled up or folded and placed within a conventional washer. The mesh container has sufficient rigidity to support the clothes and prevent twisting and excessive motion. In this manner, delicate clothes items are constrained and protected from the strong currents and movement of wash liquid within the washer. However, delicate clothes item mesh containers which have been used in the past tend to move around within the wash basket of the automatic washer in which they are used such that cloth items within these mesh containers are exposed to mechanical forces. Moreover, past delicate cloth item mesh containers are relatively unsuited for use in automatic washers employing center agitators.